Orange Shirt Day commemorates indigenous children forced into residential schools

Generations of indigenous children were forced to attend residential schools

It is Orange Shirt Day across Canada.

Events today are designed to commemorate the residential school experience, to witness and honour the healing journey of the survivors and their families, and to commit to the ongoing process of reconciliation.

Generations of indigenous children were forced to attend residential schools, sent away from their parents beginning in the 19th century.

The orange shirt is significant because it was the colour of the shirt Phyllis Webstad received from her grandmother for her first day at a residential school in British Columbia. When Phyllis, age 6, got to school, they took her shirt away. It was never returned.

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